Schuylee hamilton



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

SOHUYLER HAMILTON, JR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PROCESS OF BURNING BRICK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340.780, dated April27, 1886.

Application filed December 10, 1885.

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SCHUYLER HAMILTON,

J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in thecounty of New-York and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Processes of Burning Brick; and I do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

The invention relates to the manufacture of brick; and it consists in anovel process or method of burning the same' by first subjecting them toa coke'fire, and then continuing the heat by adding to the fire aquantity of coke and coal mixed in proper proportions.

The object of the invention is to render the burning of the brick moreeffectual and less expensive-more effectual, because by my process fewerdefective brick will be found in each burn than heretofore, and lessexpensive for the reason that the cost of produc tion is greatly reducedand the quality of the brick improved.

In carrying the invention into effect, the fire under the grate-bars ofthe kiln is started in the customary manner and coke applied, and afterthe coke-fire has burned a suitable length of time the heat is continuedby adding a mixture of coke and coal, under which latter condition theburning of the brick is completed. a

The proportions of the coke and coal may be varied to some extentwithout material prejudice to the result; but I recommend that they beused in equal parts-that is, that the mixture be composed one-half ofcoke and the other half of coal.

By means of my invention herein described the brick may be more evenlyburned than by any process of burning brick now in use; and but a veryslight percentage of salmon or light colored and other defective andinferior brick will be found in each burn when it is employed.

When my process is made use of, the brick may be burned in the ordinaryclamp-frame kiln instead of in the permanently-built kilns required forburning brick with a wood-fire,

Serial No. 185,262. (No specimens.)

' and the length of time required for each burn when my process isfollowed is about thirtysix hours less than that necessary when awoodfire is made use of, and in addition the woodfire is much the moreexpensive of the two. When coal is made use of alone for the fire, thespaces between the brick rapidly become clogged with soot, owing to thenature of the coal and the dampness of the brick, and the burning anduniformity of the brick is greatly impaired.

I have used both anthracite and bituminous coal with the coke in thepractice of my invention; but I recommend, on account of its markedadvantages, the bituminous coal. The coke at the starting of the fireevenly and effectually prepares the brick Without injury for thesubsequent action of the long gaseous flames which I am able to securewith the mixture of coal and coke, and the effect of which is that thebrick in all parts of the kiln will be of uniform color and hardness.There are always, of course, some light-colored and defective brick ineach burn, no matter what process is followed; but I have demonstratedin practical and commercial tests that when the process herein claimedis made use of the proportion of light-colored and defective in eachburn is very insignificant as compared with the results of any otherknown method or means of burning brick.

Among the main advantages derived from the use of the invention are thesaving of expense and time, the production of more uniformly colored andhardened brick, and the material lessening of the quantity oflightcolored and defective brick in each burn.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The method hereinbefore described of burning brick, which consists infirst subjecting them to a coke-fire and then continuing the heat andcompleting the burning of the brick by adding to the fire coke and coalmixed.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' SGHUYLER HAMILTON ,JR.

Witnesses:

CHARLES C. GILL, EDWARD WOLFF.

